


A Family Resemblance

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Crossover, Family Relationships - Freeform, M/M, and cousins, sonny and tim are bisexual baby giraffes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-01 18:51:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12710850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: A brief examination of how Sonny Carisi, good Catholic boy, could also be a happy bisexual thanks to an older cousin named Tim Bayliss.





	A Family Resemblance

Sonny walked into the squad on a Thursday, beaming like he'd passed the bar a second time. Rollins side-eyed him as he set coffee from the fancy place on her desk. 

"What are you extra-cheerful for? Barba finally propose?"

"What?" Sonny asked, looking completely perplexed. "No. Come on, I'd call you if that happened." Sonny sipped his own coffee, his smile still ridiculous. "My cousin's coming into town with his husband. They're gonna meet Barba."

"Aww," Rollins said, only half-sarcastic. "That's the cutest. I assume this is a cousin who means something to you and not just one of the dozens randomly dropping in."

"You would be correct. It's my cousin Tim. He was a cop when I was growing up, and he really helped me out a lot when I was kid."

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. He--"

"BAYLISS?!"

Sonny turned on his heel at Fin's shout. "Tim!" He said, opening his arms as a man impossibly lankier than him crossed the room and hugged him. 

"Dommy!" Tim kissed the top of Sonny's head. He turned to his left and gave Fin a surprised look. "Fin, you didn't tell me you two worked together!"

"I didn't know we did," Fin answered, coming over from his own desk. "Leo, how are you?"

"Good," Leo said. He wore a plain gold band, same as Tim and was tall but not as lanky, with dark hair swept to the side. "How's Munch?"

"Same cranky old man," Fin said.

"Wait," Sonny said, holding up a hand. "Fin, how do you know my cousin?"

"Munch and I worked together in Homicide in Baltimore," Tim answered before Fin could. "I told you he transferred to New York."

"Yeah, but I didn't realize--" Sonny shook his head. "Okay, so the Munch you," he pointed to Fin "complain about being a terrible cook, and the Munch you," he pointed at Tim "were friends with in Homicide are the same Munch?"

"Yeah." Tim laughed at the look on Sonny's face. "You didn't put that together?"

"Why would I? Munch wasn't here when I started, and he doesn't really talk about what he did before New York."

"Homicide took a lot out of him," Tim said, and there was a flash of loss across his face. "You know how it is."

"Yeah," Sonny said quietly. He gave himself a shake and turned to Leo. "Leo! Hi! Good to see you again."

"You too," Leo said. 

"How are the boys?"

"Safely sequestered with Frank and Mary for the next four days. He's putting them through drills for confirmation."

"Another generation of good Catholic boys, huh?" Rollins asked, grinning. 

"I'm buddhist, actually," Tim said. "Leo's the Catholic."

"But you're the Carisi-cousin?"

Tim laughed. "Working with this one," he squeezed Sonny's shoulder, "I can see how that would be confusing."

Olivia walked out of her office and over to the group. "What's going on here?"

"Sarge, this is my cousin Tim and his husband Leo. Oh, and Tim and Leo, this is my partner Rollins, and you apparently already know Fin."

"Nice to meet you," Olivia said, shaking their hands. "How do you know Fin?" Tim explained again that he and Munch had worked Homicide together. "Oh," Liv said, her eyes going wide, "you're that Tim."

Tim looked confused. "Am I notorious?"

"Not notorious. Just...he mentioned you some. Said you figuring yourself out helped him figure himself out."

Tim beamed. It had the same open quality as Sonny's smile. "That's nice to hear. I'll have to give him hell for that when I see him next."

"We don't have any plans this weekend," Fin said. "Give him a call if you get a little time."

"Will do." Tim grabbed Sonny's shoulders and gave him a small shake. "Anyway, I'm sure there's plenty you should be doing. We'll see you for dinner, right?"

"Yup. Seven at Delmino's."

"And your cryptid will actually show up?" Leo asked. 

Sonny laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I teamed up with his assistant so he can't skip out."

"We'll see you then. You need me, you call," Tim said. He pulled Sonny into another hug and kissed his cheek. Sonny returned the hug and kiss, then led them to the elevator. 

Rollins looked at Fin. "Am I reading it right that the cousin is exactly as earnest as Carisi?"

"Moreso, sometimes," Fin replied. "Good guy. I can't believe I didn't know they were related."

"They definitely have the same leg to torso ratio," Olivia said. 

Rollins and Fin both snickered as Sonny came back up. "What are we laughing about?"

"Nothing," Rollins said. "Just family resemblance."

"Dommy," Fin added.

Sonny groaned. "Everyone called me Dommy until I got sick of it and asked them to call me Sonny. Tim's bad about remembering."

"Dommy," Rollins said to Fin. 

"Dommy," he repeated.

"Sarge, help."

Olivia shrugged. "I wish I could, but nicknames are a dangerous thing, Carisi." She gave him a smile. "Your cousin and his husband seem great."

"Thanks. They are." He looked at Fin. "How long have you known them?"

"I dunno. John and I got together…" Fin glanced at Olivia.

"Twelve years?" she guessed.

"Yeah, around there. So, since then."

"So, you've known the boys, too, then."

"Oh, yeah. They're something else. Good kids."

Sonny shook his heads. "I really can't believe we didn't know we both knew Tim. We should maybe stop being detectives."

"Oh, no, we are shorthanded enough," Olivia said. "I refuse to accept any resignations because you and Fin didn't know that one of your hundreds of relatives was a link between you two."

Sonny laughed. "If you say so, Sarge." 

*

"Did you become a cop because of your cousin?" Rollins asked as they were driving to follow-up with a witness. It had been a few hours since she'd met Tim, and she'd been wondering, but this was the first time she and Sonny were alone.

Sonny looked up from his phone. "Kinda, yeah. He worked Homicide, like he mentioned, and that sounded like the coolest thing in the world."

"Is that why you're so close? You followed in his footsteps."

Sonny chuckled. "In more ways than one, actually."

"Huh?"

"First time I thought another boy was cute, I was twelve. Tim was in his thirties, and he was realizing he wasn't as straight as he thought he was. I was thirteen when he told the family he was bi, and when he explained what it was, I had a word for myself."

"Wow."

"Yeah, it was pretty powerful. I'd always liked him anyway. He's nice. He was always willing to goof off with us younger cousins. But him coming out changed things between us. I didn't come out until right before I went to college, but I started confiding in Tim when I was fourteen or so. He was always willing to listen and talk me through shit and admit when he didn't know something. It made me want to be like him, you know? Just, be a kind person who helps people."

"I have never had that relationship with anyone in my family," Rollins said. "But it sounds pretty good."

"Jessie will be like that with you," Sonny said, giving Rollins a smile. "You just wait."

Rollins blinked a few times. "Sure," she said, then cleared her throat. "So, you became a cop like your cousin Tim. You went into Homicide like your cousin Tim."

"But I couldn't do it, like I've told you before. I called him when I realized. I felt like I was doing something wrong. We're a lot alike, and I couldn't hold it together in Homicide past a couple of months. He'd worked Homicide for almost eight years."

"What'd he say to you?"

Sonny leaned his head back against the seat and breathed deep. "He told me he should have left after his first case."

"No way."

"Yeah. Said if he'd taken the time to examine his feelings, he would have walked away and done something else, but instead, he let that first case sit on his shoulder and whisper in his ear that he couldn't leave until he solved it."

"Shit. What was the case?"

"Adena Watson." Sonny crossed himself. "Found dead in an alley behind a set of rowhouses. She'd been raped, then stabbed. When I called him and said I didn't think I could stay in Homicide, he told me to leave, go to SVU and save Adena before she died."

"He really said that? He named her?"

"Yeah. He wanted me to know how much he understood, and I did." Sonny looked out the window as Rollins parked the car. "My hardest day at SVU is still better than my best day at Homicide."

"They ever solve it?"

Sonny shook his head. "He teaches at the academy in Maryland now. Conflict de-escalation and mindfulness techniques."

"Mindfulness?"

"He wants the new guys to know how to be in the present and examine their motives so they don't end up driving themselves into the ground."

Rollins considered that as they stepped out of the car. "If you guys have some time while they're here, I'd like to talk to them more if they want."

"I'll ask," Sonny said, giving her a smile. They walked shoulder-to-shoulder to the door of the building.

*

"So," RIta said, dragging out the 'o' to make Rafael give her a look, "today's the big day."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Meeting the cousin. Or should that be capitalized? The Cousin." Rita scooped up a bit of a polenta cake and spooned on marinara and mushrooms. "The alliterative cousin. The buddhist bisexual from Baltimore."

Rafael couldn't hold back a smile. "Are you finished?"

"Are you nervous?" Rita asked rather than answer, but the tease was gone from her tone.

Rafael looked down at his roasted beet salad. He ate a candied walnut and speared a forkful of feta, arugula, and beets. "I don't have any siblings. Surviving the Carisi sisters the first time was apparently impressive from Sonny's point of view, but I'm lost about what to do with the cousin. I've met other cousins, but this is...different. They've very close. Sonny tells him everything."

"Is that why you've been avoiding it?"

"I haven't been avoiding it. It's been bad timing." Rafael shoved the forkful of salad into his mouth.

"Sure," Rita said. "Because you've never used work to get away from a commitment." She met Rafael's glare with a smile. She reached across the table and gribbed his forearm for a moment. "He sounds like he was almost a big brother."

Rafael nodded as he swallowed his food. "That's where I'm confused. Because, on the one hand, yes, he was. But on the other hand, he's not really a brother, and Sonny doesn't talk about him like he does his sisters. There's no aggravation, no annoyance."

"He's the older brother in spirit. Your older brother is always a figure of awe until he's not," Rita said. 

"You don't talk about your older brothers with awe."

"Please. I outdid them when I was nine and went to the National Spelling Bee. I never had awe for them."

"But that's the thing," Rafael said, putting down his fork. "Sonny doesn't have awe for Tim. He doesn't worship him. He just…" He shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't, Rita. I was an only child in a shitty family. I don't know how this works."

"It works like it always works with family. You show up, don't get shit-faced, and pretend to give a damn."

Rafael breathed out hard and tapped his fingers on the table. "Yeah. About that last part."

Rita eyed him, her brows furrowed. "Yes?" she prompted after Rafael had been silent for almost a minute.

"Fuck," Rafael muttered and reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

"No," Rita breathed when Rafael waved a small, dark blue box at her. "That is exactly what I think it is."

"It is," Rafael replied. He slid the box across the table. "Sonny's parents gave me their blessing last week--"

"You asked?!"

"Sonny and I have talked about this. He said asking his parents was not required, but they'd love to have a part in the engagement. So, I called last week, and I asked."

"You fucking sap," Rita said. She opened the box. "There are two rings in here."

"It feels weird to only have one of us wearing one." Rafael rolled his eyes when Rita gave him a look that called him hopeless. "Anyway, his parents said yes, but I feel like I have to ask Tim."

"Why?" Rita took the rings out and turned them over in her hands. They were both platinum with a single stripe running across the center. One stripe was navy blue, the other purple. 

"Tim's the reason Sonny's so comfortable with himself. The reason Sonny is Catholic and a cop and out and happy and refuses to be cowed is because Tim supported him when he was first figuring out his sexuality. Without Tim, I don't even know that Sonny and I would be together."

Rita put the rings back into the box, closed it, and handed it back to Rafael. "You two would have found each other."

"Thank you," Rafael said. "But, seriously, Rita, at what cost to the both of us to get there?" 

"Sonny's family accepts him. You've said so."

"Yes, but they also talk about how without Tim coming out first, they may have had a bad response to Sonny's sexuality."

Rita stared at Rafael. "Does anyone in that family ever speak anything but the absolute truth?"

"Do you know how much I wish they would? One dinner where they're not arguing, then apologizing, then hugging. That's all I ask."

"Well, if you're gonna make an honest man of him, you're gonna have to suck it up." Rita groaned at the way Rafael's eyes when soft. "God, you are smitten."

"If he says yes, you'll be my best man, won't you?"

"What about Benson?"

Rafael shrugged. "Maid of honor, I guess. Or you'll both be best men."

Rita beamed and reached across the table to squeeze Rafael's arm again. "I would love to."

*

"--And Fin's known him this whole time!" Sonny finished with a lifted arms gesture that conveyed complete ridiculousness. "I can't believe I'm a detective."

Rafael smiled. "Well, it's nice to hear you say it out loud."

"Hey," Sonny said, but there was no heat in it. He reached over and took Rafael's hand. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine," Rafael answered, smoothing his suit jacket with his free hand. He felt the bump of the ring box and pressed his knees together to steady himself. "Just another meet and greet in the long line of Carisi relatives."

"It's okay to be nervous. I know I talk about him a lot." Sonny squeezed Rafael's hand and leaned in, pressing a kiss to Rafael's temple. "I love you," he whispered. "Even if this is awkward or you two get into an argument, that's not going to change."

Rafael turned so he could kiss Sonny on the mouth. "I know," he said. "Thank you."

"There you are," Tim said, walking up to the table with Leo. "Don't let us interrupt." His smile was warm and welcoming. He held out his hand to Rafael before Rafael could stand. "Tim Bayliss-Matherson. You must be Rafael."

"I am." Rafael shook his hand. 

"My husband, Leo," Tim said, gesturing to Leo.

"Nice to finally meet you," Leo said, his grin as warm as Tim's. He waved rather than shake hands. Rafael gave him a lazy salute. 

Tim and Leo sat, and Rafael met their gazes as they looked him over. "I wasn't entirely sure Dommy wasn't photoshopping you into his pictures," Tim said. 

"Dommy," Rafael replied, giving Sonny an arch look. 

Tim's face fell. "Shit. Sonny. It's Sonny."

"It's fine," Sonny said, dismissing the whole thing with a wave. "No one at work calls me Sonny anyway."

"Bet they'll be calling you Dommy forever, though," Leo said, and that broke the last of the tension as everyone chuckled. 

The server came over, and they ordered drinks. Tim leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his stomach. "Dommy's told us a lot. It all sounds interesting, but I'd like to hear from you."

"I'm an open book," Rafael replied.

"That is not what we heard at all," Leo said. "I believe the first description was 'arrogant asshole with good ties.' Is that what you remember, Tim?"

Tim grinned. "That is exactly what I remember."

"I would substitute 'confident' for 'arrogant,' but otherwise, I have no notes."

Tim and Leo chuckled. Sonny squeezed Rafael's hand. "What was your first impression of Dommy?" Tim asked.

"His suit was terrible." 

Leo laughed. "Oh, it must be genetic. The first time I met Tim, his suit was awful."

"In my defense, it was 1999. Slim cut suits didn't exist."

"Tailors did," Leo muttered. 

Rafael felt himself smiling. "Truer words," he said. "Once I got over the crime of fashion, I found him overeager but genuine. He wanted to be better. A better cop. A better law student. A better person." Rafael looked at Sonny and found him blushing, his eyes shining with pride. "I found out I liked him."

"And here we are," Tim said, his smile soft. He reached over and took Leo's hand. "You two fit together. That's been obvious since Dommy started mentioning you. But it's nice to see it in person."

"Thank you," Sonny said, and it was Rafael who squeezed his hand this time. 

"Now," Tim said, sitting up a bit straighter as the server brought over the drinks. "Let's move on to other topics."

"Politics or religion?" Rafael asked.

"Art," Leo replied. 

"I don't think that'll keep the discussion any more civilized, but I'll give it a try," Rafael said. 

Dinner moved forward languidly. Tim and Leo were intelligent, interesting, and nice. They showed off pictures of their sons and talked about Baltimore. Sonny told stories about the not-disastrous-but-messy moving in together he and Rafael had accomplished and showed off pictures of Jessie. They briefly touched on religion, Sonny promising to be there for the boys' confirmation, and Tim and Leo beaming at him with unbridled joy. Rafael was mostly silent, answering questions and contributing tidbits to Sonny's stories. The rings in his pocket felt like a five-pound stone, and he wondered how to get Sonny away from the table so he could talk to Tim and Leo alone. 

Just before dessert, Sonny's phone pinged. He checked it, then turned the screen so Rafael could see it. "Why is Rita asking me about case law?"

Rafael made a mental note to send her flowers. "I have no idea."

"Who's Rita?" Leo asked. 

"Rafael's best friend," Sonny replied. "And a killer defense attorney." His phone pinged again. "Huh. She wants me to call her. He gave Tim and Leo and apologetic smile. "I'm going to step outside, excuse me."

Tim pinned Rafael with a sharp look the moment Sonny was out of hearing range. "Do a lot of high-powered defense attorneys interrupt your dinners to ask Dommy for advice?"

"No. And I didn't ask this one to do that. She's just got good timing and a sense of drama."

"So," Tim said, the word heavy in a way that sharply reminded Rafael he was dealing with a seasoned detective, "what do you need from us, Rafael?" 

Rafael cleared his throat and placed his hands one over the other on the table. He leveled Tim with a serious look. "Sonny's parents gave me their blessing to propose. I'd like yours as well."

Leo beamed. Tim narrowed his eyes. "Why? Dommy can make his own choices. He doesn't need you to work down a family checklist."

"Tim," Leo murmured, placing a hand on his arm. "It's romantic."

"It's antiquated," Tim replied. 

"It is," Rafael agreed, "but I'm not asking because I think anyone but Sonny needs to give me an answer. I'm asking because you're one of the most important people in Sonny's life, and if you hadn't been there to support him even as you were figuring out your own sexuality in the middle of a squad room in Baltimore in the nineties, I don't know that I'd even be sitting here today. Sonny is his own man who makes his own decisions, but you're the one who taught him to do that."

Tim stared, looking like he'd been gut-punched. He turned to Leo, obviously needing support. Leo gave him a soft smile. "I've been telling you the same for years. Maybe you'll believe it now."

Tim shook his head. "I didn't do anything except be open with him." He looked at Rafael. "You've met the family. 'Open' is too soft a word for them."

"There's open, and there's kind," Leo said before Rafael could answer. "The family is open, but they're not particularly talented at a soft approach."

"No kidding," Rafael replied, and that broke through Tim's shock, making him grin in agreement. 

"Sonny chose to be how he is. However I may have helped him, the person you love is as self-made as any of us. But." Tim gave a slow nod and tapped his hand on the table like they were making a deal. "If you want my opinion on your relationship, I say marry him as fast as you can and don't let go."

"Thank you," Rafael replied. "That's an excellent plan."

"He walked back in," Leo said. "Someone tell the middle of a story."

"So, then, Frank takes his hands off the wheel--in the middle of traffic, I remind you--to prove to me why I shouldn't be sitting on my wallet, and I have to reach over and drive for him," Tim says as Sonny walks up.

"Sorry I missed the first part of that. I love that story," Sonny said as he sat back down. "Rita sends her regards."

"Did you successfully argue your point?" Rafael asked.

Sonny shrugged. "Who knows. Honestly, it seemed like she was just wanting to bat me around a bit."

"I want to meet this woman," Tim said. "She sounds fantastic."

Sonny grinned. "She's great." He leaned away from the table as the server came over with dessert. "Hey, if you're telling Frank stories, what about the time he tried to throw you out of the car because you didn't reimburse him for a cab?"

Tim laughed, as did Leo. Rafael leaned in. "That one that sounds fun," he said. 

"I still cannot believe you trust this man with our children," Leo said.

"I trust Mary," Tim replied and started the story.

*

Sonny was quiet when they got home. He nuzzled at Rafael's ear and kissed his neck as soon as the door was closed behind them. "I know it's early, but I'm wiped."

"I'll meet you in the bedroom," Rafael replied. He turned Sonny's head and kissed him slowly, letting his lips linger for just a moment after the kiss was finished. Sonny hummed approval and pressed his forehead to Rafael's before pulling away. 

Rafael took a deep breath once he heard the bathroom door close. He took the rings out of his pocket and placed the box on his nightstand, behind the lamp where Sonny wouldn't see it. He got out of his suit and slipped into pajama bottoms. Sonny walked into the bedroom with his shirt half buttoned and his belt undone. Rafael watched him undress for a moment before going into the bathroom himself and brushing his teeth.

Sonny was in bed when Rafael walked back into the bedroom. He wore pajama bottoms as well, and he was shirtless. He was opening a book. In the glow of his bedside lamp, he looked warm and safe and soft. Rafael walked around the bed to his side and tucked the ring box against his palm as he slid into bed.

"Your cousin's great," Rafael said. "Leo, too."

Sonny smiled at him, marking his place with his finger. "I'm glad you think so. Tim's already texted how much he likes you."

"That's good." Rafael watched Sonny turn his attention back to his book. When he was sure Sonny was engrossed, Rafael took the ring box from his palm and opened it silently. He'd been practicing how to ask for weeks, always planning to propose in bed because it was his favorite view of Sonny: relaxed, at home, quietly content with everything around him. 

But now that he was here, in the moment, all of Rafael's rehearsals felt useless. He swallowed and took a quiet breath, and shifted to face Sonny fully, the box open in one hand. "Sonny," he said. 

Sonny looked up from his book, mouth already forming a question. He froze at the sight of Rafael. His eyes widened when he saw the rings. He dropped his book into his lap. "Yes." 

Rafael's nerves disappeared. He laughed. "You didn't even let me ask."

"Yes," Sonny repeated. He leaned over, pinning the ring box between their chests, and kissing Rafael until they were breathless and laughing into each other's mouths. "Yes," Sonny said a third time. He reached down and took the ring box from Rafael, inspecting the rings. "Which one's mine?"

"The purple stripe, I thought."

"It matches your ties," Sonny said. He took the blue-striped ring out of the box and held it up. 

"Yes," Rafael said. He let Sonny put the ring on his finger, then took the other ring and slid it onto Sonny's. He brought Sonny's hand to his mouth and kissed the ring. "You're never getting rid of me."

"Good," Sonny said and pressed against him until Rafael was prone, Sonny warm and heavy on top of him. "I love you," he said. 

"I love you," Rafael replied. 

Sonny kissed him again, slow and careful, like they'd never kissed before. Like things were new again. "How long have you been planning this?"

"A few weeks. I needed to get a few things done first."

Sonny pressed a kiss to his neck, then his shoulder. "Like what?"

"Well, I asked your parents. They said yes, obviously."

Sonny chuckled. "That's good."

"And then you said Tim was coming to town, and I wanted to run it past him."

Sonny looked up, eyes shining. "What?"

"It felt important."

"You are amazing." Sonny pulled Rafael into a hug, turning them on their sides so they could hold onto each other more easily. "I assume he approved."

"After informing me you can make your own decisions, yes."

Sonny laughed, bright and loud, and Rafael leaned in to taste it. Sonny hummed into his mouth and gripped tight at Rafael's biceps before pulling away. "Let's take a picture. We can send it out to everyone, then silence our phones."

Rafael grinned in agreement. He let Sonny set up the picture, just their hands on the sheet, their fingers overlapping and the rings shining in the low light. Rafael took his own picture. He sent it to his mother and Rita. 

It took Sonny five minutes to add all the people he wanted from his contact list. Rafael kissed his neck and bit his ear and placed open-mouthed kisses on his shoulders and back. 

"This would go faster if you weren't distracting," Sonny said, stretching his neck and sighing when Rafael nuzzled into his nape.

"I'm fine," Rafael said. "You finish what you're doing."

Sonny chuckled and went back to his list. Before he could silence his phone, it chimed with a new message. Sonny held up his phone so Rafael could see.

 **Tim:** The happiest congratulations. I'm so glad for you two.

"Come here," Rafael said, taking Sonny's phone from his hand and putting it on the table. Sonny went willingly, curling against Rafael like he didn't want to be anywhere else. 

"I love you," Sonny said again. He slid his hand slowly down Rafael's side. "I feel like that doesn't even begin to say it."

"You're amazing," Rafael breathed. "I can't believe you happened, but I'm glad you did."

Sonny grinned and clutched tight at Rafael's waist. "Same," he said, and that was the end of it.

**Author's Note:**

> ToniMacAttack and I were screaming at the unfairness that SVU won't queer anyone when Tim Bayliss was bi as fuck on Homicide: LotS in the goddamn nineties. And he literally never hid it once he began dating men as well as women. This then led to realizing the original bisexual baby giraffe and Sonny Carisi could totally pass as relatives. And so, this fic was born.


End file.
